Free Tool · Updated 2026
Camera Coverage Calculator
Estimate how far a security camera sees and how wide its ground coverage is, based on mounting height, downward tilt and lens angle.
Want an exact number, not an estimate?
This calculator gives a strong planning estimate. For an exact, guaranteed figure, our engineers confirm everything during a free site survey.
Request a Free Site Survey WhatsApp an EngineerHow camera coverage is calculated
A security camera's ground coverage depends on three things: how high it's mounted, how far it's tilted downward, and its lens's horizontal field of view (its "angle"). This calculator uses basic trigonometry to estimate the ground distance to the center of the camera's view, and the approximate width of coverage at that distance, based on the values you enter.
Understanding lens angles: which one do you need?
- 30° (telephoto/long-range) — narrow field of view but sees much further in detail; ideal for long driveways or perimeter fence lines where identifying faces or plates at distance matters more than wide coverage.
- 90° (standard) — a balanced field of view suited to most entrances and general-purpose coverage.
- 105° (wide-angle) — covers more ground area per camera, useful for gardens, parking areas and open spaces, at the cost of less detail at any single point.
- 180° (panoramic/fisheye) — covers an extremely wide area from a single mounting point, often used in lobbies, large open rooms or as an overview camera, though image detail at the edges is reduced.
Why mounting height and tilt matter so much
A camera mounted too low is easy to tamper with and captures less useful ground area; mounted too high without enough downward tilt, faces become difficult to identify because the camera looks down at the tops of heads rather than faces. Most residential entrance cameras work best mounted around 2.4 to 3 meters high with a moderate downward tilt, balancing tamper resistance against clear facial identification.
Combining coverage with camera count
This calculator estimates a single camera's coverage footprint. To work out how many cameras your full property needs, combine this with our guide on how many CCTV cameras you actually need, which walks through coverage by property type and access point.
What this calculator doesn't account for
Real-world coverage is also affected by obstructions (trees, walls, parked vehicles), lighting conditions for night recording, and the specific camera model's actual lens characteristics, which can vary slightly from the nominal angle. For exact placement planning that accounts for your property's actual layout and obstructions, a free site survey gives a guaranteed, accurate result.
Frequently asked questions
Most residential entrance cameras work best mounted around 2.4 to 3 meters high, balancing tamper resistance with clear facial identification at a moderate downward tilt.
A narrower angle (around 30-60°) generally works best for long driveways, since it preserves detail at distance for reading plates or identifying faces, compared to a wide-angle lens which sacrifices detail for broader coverage.
A single wide-angle or panoramic camera can cover a small to medium garden from a good vantage point, but larger or irregularly shaped gardens usually need more than one camera to avoid blind spots at corners.
Not necessarily. Wider angles cover more area but reduce detail at any given point, which can make faces or plates harder to identify. The right angle depends on whether you need broad coverage or fine detail at a specific spot.